Perhaps maybe I'm being naive, but in times of global strife, or political turmoil, I still look to the streets to gauge the temperature of the world. Whether that means protest or street art, I look to both to better understand the metaphors and direct struggles we face as (potentially and hopefully) progressive societies. In terms of Street Art, it seems we are having a bit of a Renaissance regarding political action and commentary. Many of those artists are working in Europe and creating work that examines, and critiques how governments are reacting to the migration crisis. Indeed, this is the story of our times, and will increasingly become so in the years to come.
We are very excited to announce our very own contributing editor, Sasha Bogojev, has curated a smart group show that focuses on the issues of migration crisis, and has done so with a group of artists who not only create poetic metaphors but are also artists of action whose work responds and engage with those actively involved in border crossings around the globe. The Distance Between, on view at BC Gallery in Berlin from September 27—November 9, 2019, features the works of Israeli artist Addam Yekutieli aka Know Hope, Italian spray paint virtuoso Eron, and Iran-born brothers, artists, and activists Icy and Sot. Each create compelling bodies of work that, although representing different mediums, tell overarching stories about migration that speak to the universality of the crisis.
Bogojev curated The Distance Between as an installation that converts the gallery into a poetic setting which transports the viewer from an art venue into an ambiguous space teeming with uncertainty. As the gallery notes, "Presenting the latest examples of their signature works, the drawings, canvases, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces are meant to provide an immersive and emotional experience fuelled by the artists‘ personal history. Bringing together different sides to the story and seeing the issue from different points of view, the exhibition celebrates humanity as a virtue while presenting an alternative overview of the delicate global issue, seen, experienced, and described by highly empathic individuals."
